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Eagle Foundation

Annual Giving
$37.0M
Grant Range
Up to $6.5M00
00

Eagle Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $37,000,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies widely (from smaller grants to multi-million dollar awards)
  • Geographic Focus: National and international, with preference for Nebraska and greater Omaha area
  • Assets: $599,000,000 (2023)

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 542021, Omaha, NE 68154-8021

Phone: 402-393-8300

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Eagle Foundation was established in 1993 in Nebraska by James W. Cabela, co-founder of the outdoor recreation retailer Cabela's. For many years, the foundation's assets hovered around $80 million. However, following the 2017 sale of Cabela's to Bass Pro Shops for $5 billion (James W. Cabela reportedly owned 16% of the company), the foundation experienced transformative growth. Major infusions in 2019 ($136 million), 2022 ($184 million), and 2023 ($152 million) have elevated it from a mid-sized philanthropy to a major player in the philanthropic landscape. By 2023, the foundation's endowment reached $599 million with annual grantmaking of $37 million.

The foundation gives primarily to Roman Catholic agencies and churches, though many grants also support secular humanitarian and development organizations. The foundation demonstrates a strong commitment to both local Nebraska communities and national/international relief efforts, with approximately one-third of grants benefiting Nebraska-based organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Eagle Foundation operates through trustee-discretion grantmaking rather than formal application programs. Grants are made on an invitation-only basis to preselected charitable organizations.

Recent Grant Activity:

  • Made 39 grants in recent reporting period
  • Grant sizes range from smaller awards to multi-million dollar commitments
  • Major grants typically span multiple years or multiple awards to the same organization

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports:

Catholic and Religious Organizations:

  • Roman Catholic agencies and churches
  • Catholic Relief Services ($5.8 million over two awards)

Higher Education:

  • Creighton University ($6.5 million over two awards)

International Relief and Development:

  • Partners in Health ($5.25 million over two awards)
  • Mercy Corps ($3 million over two awards)
  • World Vision and Water for People ($2.2 million)

Geographic Priority:

  • Preference given to organizations that will use substantially all of the charitable grant in the State of Nebraska, particularly in the greater Omaha area
  • However, many of the foundation's biggest awardees are national and international organizations
  • Approximately one-third of grants benefit Nebraska in recent years

Thematic Areas:

  • Public safety, disaster preparedness, and relief
  • Humanitarian assistance
  • International development
  • Education
  • Religious activities

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation:

  • Does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Does not fund organizations outside of trustee-selected beneficiaries

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • James W. Cabela (Founder)
  • Alexander J. Wolf
  • Michael Hupp

Staffing:

  • 2 employees

About James W. Cabela: James W. Cabela helped his brother launch the sporting goods retailer Cabela's and reportedly owned 16% of the company when Bass Pro Shops acquired it in 2017 for $5 billion. His personal wealth from this transaction enabled the significant expansion of the Eagle Foundation's endowment and grantmaking capacity.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Eagle Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have selected, typically organizations with which they have existing relationships or awareness.

Getting on Their Radar

The Eagle Foundation identifies beneficiaries through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships. The foundation's trustees—James W. Cabela, Alexander J. Wolf, and Michael Hupp—select organizations aligned with the foundation's priorities, particularly those with Catholic orientations or those working in humanitarian relief, international development, and Nebraska-based charitable work.

Given the foundation's significant support for both Catholic organizations and secular humanitarian agencies, organizations working in these areas may be of interest. The foundation's major support for institutions like Creighton University, Catholic Relief Services, Partners in Health, Mercy Corps, World Vision, and Water for People demonstrates their range of interests.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. As grants are made through trustee discretion rather than formal application cycles, there are no fixed decision periods.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, selecting organizations for support rather than reviewing competitive applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Eagle Foundation operates through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the foundation's grantmaking patterns, the following characteristics appear important:

Organizational Alignment:

  • Catholic orientation or religious mission (though not exclusive)
  • Focus on humanitarian relief, international development, or education
  • Established track record and organizational credibility
  • National or international reach, or strong Nebraska/Omaha presence

Funding Patterns: The foundation demonstrates commitment to sustained partnerships, often making multiple awards to the same organizations over time. Organizations that have received support include:

  • Creighton University ($6.5 million over two awards)
  • Catholic Relief Services ($5.8 million over two awards)
  • Partners in Health ($5.25 million over two awards)
  • Mercy Corps ($3 million over two awards)
  • World Vision and Water for People ($2.2 million)

Scale of Impact: The foundation has shown willingness to make substantial, multi-million dollar commitments to organizations working at scale on humanitarian issues, suggesting they value significant, measurable impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: The Eagle Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests. It operates exclusively through trustee-selected beneficiaries.

  • Significant Funding Capacity: With an endowment of $599 million and annual grantmaking of $37 million (2023), this is a major philanthropic player with capacity for substantial grants.

  • Catholic Orientation with Broader Reach: While the foundation gives primarily to Roman Catholic agencies and churches, many major grants support secular humanitarian organizations.

  • Nebraska Preference: The foundation gives preference to organizations operating in Nebraska, particularly the greater Omaha area, though approximately two-thirds of grants go to national and international organizations.

  • Sustained Partnerships: The foundation often makes multiple awards to the same organizations, suggesting value placed on long-term relationships rather than one-time grants.

  • Humanitarian Focus: Recent grantmaking shows strong support for international relief, disaster preparedness, global health, and development organizations.

  • Transformative Growth: The foundation has experienced dramatic growth since 2019, expanding from a mid-sized to major foundation, which may create opportunities for new partnerships as the foundation scales its operations.

References

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